Sharp Stewart 0-4-0ST No 19

DHR 19B
	At Bron Madoc during the FR50 gala, May 2005
Type	DHR B Class
Home Railway	Statfold Barn Railway
Original Railway	Darjeeling Himalayan Rly.
History
Built by	Sharp Stewart & Co.
Built	1889
Technical
Wheel Arrangement	0-4-0ST
	Locomotives

DHR 19B was built in 1889 by Sharp Stewart & Co. (Builder's number 3518) for the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, as one of their B Class. Originally numbered 19, it became 778 under the all-India number scheme. It was withdrawn from service in 1962, overhauled at Tindharia works, and sold to a private owner in the USA, before being acquired by the Hesston Steam Museum near Chicago on his death. Severely damaged in a fire which destroyed much of the building in which it was kept, it was returned to service before being declared 'non-core collection' and put up for sale.

Acquired by Adrian Shooter in 2003 for his private 2' gauge Beeches Light Railway in Oxfordshire which was then approaching completion and is based in many parts on the DHR, 19B was restored at Tyseley with a Sharp Stewart pattern tender being added and it entered service on the BLR in 2004 with two Boston Lodge-built DHR-pattern coaches. It has subsequently been joined by the Boston Lodge-built Parlour Car "Carrabasset" based on the preserved example from the Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes line.

19B retains her original wrought iron boiler of 1889. Apart from the tender, modifications for the BLR include the addition of both vacuum and two-line air braking, air sanding equipment, a turbo-generator set (matching the current DHR specification, the original headlights fitted to the class being Wells oil-burning flare lamps), a higher cab roof, FR-style 'chopper' couplings and mechanical lubrication.

Following Shooter's death on 2022, the locomotive was sold at auction the following year. It was purchased after significant fundraising by the Darjeeling Tank Locomotive Trust, an organisation formed by the crew who had operated the locomotive at the Beeches Light Railway. The locomotive is now based on the Statfold Barn Railway and it is intended that the locomotive should continue to visit other railways across the UK.

Visiting the F&WHR[edit]

19B has visited the F&WHR several times:

2005[edit]

Restored No. 19 visited the FR in 2005 for the FR50 events together with its two newly built replica carriages. These were constructed, under contract, at Boston Lodge. During the event 19B worked mainly between Porthmadog and Tan-y-bwlch, although the loco also worked a photo charter to Blaenau Ffestiniog during its visit.

2011[edit]

No. 19B and its two carriages returned to the F&WHR in 2011 in early September. This time the focus of its operation was on the WHR and the 2011 Superpower Event. It was also hoped to complete a journey over the full 40 miles of combined system during this visit.

2016[edit]

No. 19B returned for another visit in 2016, this time in the company of Adrian Shooter's replica Sandy River parlour car Carrabasset. The loco was used to give footplate rides at Harbour Station over the Easter weekend before seeing use on the WHR portion of The Snowdonian, a number of special trains and vintage services over the May bank holiday weekend.